Riding the Waves of Growth Spurts: What No One Tells You

One thing I never expected as a new parent was how often I’d find myself wide awake at 2 a.m., staring at my baby and wondering, What did I do differently today? There were nights when he was so upset and uncomfortable that I questioned everything—my routine, my feeding habits, even my instincts. But eventually, after a few sleepless nights and far too many frantic Google searches, it would click: he was going through a growth spurt.

And honestly? Growth spurts can feel like chaos.

What made it even more confusing for us was that our baby hit his growth spurts just ahead of schedule. So instead of recognizing the classic “oh, this is the week they’re supposed to cluster feed and refuse sleep,” I was convinced I was doing something terribly wrong. Nights felt endless, and the exhaustion was real—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Those were also the nights I found myself co-sleeping out of pure survival, doing anything I could to meet every need he had. If he wanted to nurse every 20 minutes, I let him. If he only settled when he could feel me next to him, I stayed put. Like I've shared before, he struggled with overeating—especially while breastfeeding—so that created a whole extra layer of worry. I had this constant fear that he would eat himself sick. And honestly? Some nights he did. And we dealt with it. Tired, unsure, but determined.

There were nights we slept with the lamp on because it seemed to comfort him. If he could see me—really see me—he settled easier, even if just for a little while. And then, like clockwork, the next morning he’d wake up in an amazing mood, happy as a clam, as if the meltdown-marathon hours before never happened. But evening would roll around…and the chaos would start all over again.

Still, tucked between the rough nights were the good ones. Those nights reminded me that everything in parenthood is a phase—nothing stays the same for long, not even the hard parts.

And here’s the thing no one talks about enough: the growth spurts don’t magically stop after the newborn stage. We’re over 12 months in now, and we still hit those waves. They aren’t any easier in the moment, either. Just yesterday he slept 12 hours straight like a dream, and today he’s waking every 1–3 hours. It’s unpredictable. Sometimes there isn’t a clear reason, and sometimes there isn’t a true solution. You just learn as you go, respond the best you can, and trust that—like always—it will pass.

If you’re in the thick of it right now, here’s what I learned:

It does get better.

Each growth spurt really is just a wave passing through—messy and exhausting, but temporary.

Use the support around you if you have it.

Let someone hold the baby while you shower, nap, or just breathe.

Sleep when you can, not when you “should.”

If the opportunity comes during the day, take it. The dishes can wait.

Ask for help.

It doesn’t make you weak—it makes you wise. Parenting wasn’t meant to be done alone.

Growth spurts are hard on your baby—but they’re hard on you, too. You’re both growing together in your own ways. And one day, you’ll look back on these nights, amazed at just how far you’ve come.

With love, Mommy & B 🩵